A taste of theatre for our girls in Guatemala

The girls at The Oasis homes in Guatemala are busy rehearsing for a performance at the end of July, as the result of a visit from the Bond Street Theatre group from New York. A group of actresses who focus on using art to express healing and promote peace visited the home in May and June and spent time with the girls, helping to discover their acting gifts and developing dramas.

The girls were asked to sign up to register their interest in taking part in the drama sessions and commit to meeting three times a week after school and once at the weekend over a period of four weeks. The girls were divided into different age groups and they worked extremely hard with the Bond Street Theatre ladies to prepare a performance for staff at the end of the course.

It was an extremely positive experience for the girls at The Oasis as they grew in confidence, and the actresses proved to be great role models as they encouraged the girls to follow their dreams. The show was a wonderful success and the girls will be performing for a wider audience at the end of July.

The Oasis in Guatemala is a collection of six children’s homes, with ten girls in each, cared for by loving house parents. The girls are aged between four and 12 years old and many stay beyond 18 years of age, until they are fully able to care for themselves.

Our work in Guatemala is tough as a high proportion of girls are subject to abuse and neglect and it is for this reason that we work hard at The Oasis to promote healing through love, care and counselling. The girls attend local government schools and are obtaining a good education, while they continue to flourish in their Stand by Me family homes.